Dear Friends of Rabbanith Ruth Menashe, her family and MIDRASH BEN ISH HAI,

Thank you for the outpouring of love and respect
that was shown to the Rabbanith Ruth Menashe (Ruth bat Ahuva) at the
Young Israel of Great Neck. The extraordinary attendance at
such short notice was nothing short of humbling and a deep and
meaningful tribute to our beloved Rabbanith Ruth.

The Rabbanith and family will Be'ezrath Hashem be
flying to Israel for the burial and the first part of Shib'ah. A eulogy
will take place at the Shamgar in Jerusalem on Wednesday night, February 25th, Ohr LeZayin Adar. The eulogy will begin at 9:00 p.m. and end at 9:30 promptly.

We will then accompany the Rabbanith for Burial at
Har Hazetim. We invite anyone who is comfortable accompanying us to join
us. Security will be provided.

The family will return to America to sit Shib'ah in Great Neck, NY,
on Sunday evening Ohr L'Yod Alef Adar (March 1) from 7:00 p.m. through
Wednesday morning, at 7 Linden Blvd., Great Neck, NY, 11021.

Prayer times are as follows:
Shaharith 7:00 a.m.
Minha And Arbith 5:20 p.m.

The family will have a large book at the entrance of
the house. We request that all individuals who have been touched by the
Rabbanith write about an interaction (or interactions) with her that
has moved them.

7th of Adar

Pethirath Moshe Rabbenu

Moshe Rabbenu (Moses), ‘a”h, was born on the 7th of Adar and passed away on the 7th of Adar after 120 years. As Rabbenu the Hid”a (Hakham Hayyim Yosef Dawid Azoulai ‘a”h) states in Penei Dawid, Moshe Rabbenu, ‘a”h, not only completed 120 years in days, but also to the precise hour and minute.

Moshe Rabbenu beseeched Haqqadosh Barukh Hu, the Holy One blessed be He, in numerous different prayers and requests, not to let him die, but to no avail, as the decree was sealed. As is written by Hakham Yoseph Hayyim, ‘a”h, in his famous work ‘Od Yoseph Hai, he commenced his prayers on the 1st of Adar and completed them on the 7th of Adar. He prayed a total of 515 prayers, as is hinted at in the word “Wa-eth-hannnan” (which means beseeched, and is the name of the Parashah in which Moshe Rabbenu, ‘a”h, beseeches G-d not to let him die). The word Wa-eth-hannnan in Gematria (Jewish numerology) equals 515.

Moshe Rabbenu’s motivation in asking to be permitted to live was not out of any desire to prevent Yehoshuwa’ (Joshua) ‘a”h, from taking over. Rather, it was out of a desire to reach the Land (which was destined to become the Land of Israel) that he, the Ra’ya Mehemna – the Faithful Shepherd, had journeyed for so long to, to take his flock, the Children of Israel, to see and inherit.

The Midrash Tanhuma tells us that he died a Mithath Neshiqa — not through the Angel of Death, which is the cause of impurity in the dead, but rather, through the Shekhinah (G-d’s presence) — which leaves both the body and soul pure. In such a case, the Nefesh (soul) separates from this world without the taste of death.

Neither the Children of Israel nor the Angels were involved in the burial of Moshe Rabbenu, ‘a”h, but rather, Haqqadosh Barukh Hu – The Holy One Blessed be He, himself. As it says (Deut. 34, 6) Wayyiqbor Otho Baggay, (He buried him in the valley). Our Rabbis of Blessed memory tell us that this means, the Holy One Blessed be He in His glory (Sota 14, 1).

In the holy work ‘Od Yosef Hai (Derashoth – Parashath Emor), Hakham Yosef Hayyim, ‘a”h, states that in the future Moshe Rabbenu, ‘a”h, will return to teach us Torah. Specifically he will teach us the sixth book of the Torah which was supposed to be given to us with the other five, but which, because of the sin of Adam HaRishon (Adam [and Eve]), was kept aside and is currently only being studied by the Saddiqim (righteous) in Gan ‘Eden (the Garden of Eden [Heaven]).

In the future we will have the merit of receiving the sixth book of the Torah which was held back from us.The 5 books we have today commence with the letter “Beh” which is the second letter of the Alef Beh (the Hebrew Alphabet). The sixth book commences with the letter Aleph (the first letter of the Alef Beh). In addition, the sixth book is from the ‘Olam DeAsiluth, whereas Bereshith (Genesis) is from a lower world, that of the ‘Olam DeBeriah.

There are those who fast on the seventh of Adar. However, what is most important is the study of Torah. That is why it is appropriate to study the Tiqqun Leil Shib’ah Be Adar, the special learning for the 7th of Adar. Copies of Tiqqun Leil Shib’ah Be Adar that Hakham Yoseph Hayyim, ‘a”h, has written are readily available.